BY SAM MAY
“Inside The Games”
November 12, 2024
With two years remaining until the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, Senegal is intensifying its focus on capacity-building initiatives grounded in Olympic values and the unifying power of sport.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is supporting these efforts through its Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), partnering with local organisations, including the National Olympic Committee of Senegal (CNOSS), to lay a strong foundation for the upcoming games and to create a lasting legacy.
Senegalese educators, communities, and stakeholders have set an ambitious target to engage close to one million young people across the country through Olympic values education, fostering a safer, healthier, and more inclusive society through sport.
These initiatives range from equipping social educators to effectively support at-risk youth and strengthening crime prevention approaches to training sports officials and journalists on Olympic values communication. OVEP’s work is essential in building a framework for sustainable development, which includes safeguarding young athletes against harassment and abuse.
With Dakar 2026 approaching, a vital opportunity emerged to improve protection for young athletes during competitions. In late June, a two-day training event in Dakar brought together representatives from National Sports Federations, the YOG Organising Committee, and CNOSS.
During this event, the IOC introduced safeguarding strategies, including recognising signs of harassment and abuse, understanding types of interpersonal violence, recognising risks specific to sports, assessing the impact on victims, and shifting focus towards protecting youth in sport. Practical training on implementing new safeguarding policies and procedures followed, with the goal of preparing officials for Dakar 2026.
Senegal’s Ministry of Justice has also recognised a need to better support at-risk youth by integrating sport into crime prevention efforts. In December 2023, a partnership was launched between the IOC and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the initiative “Sport against Crime: Outreach, Resilience, Empowerment of at-risk youth.”
Through collaboration with Senegal’s National Olympic Committee and Ministry of Justice, a three-day workshop was organised in June. The sessions provided Dakar-area social educators with training in sport-based learning and skills development, a method that will continue to be used in centres for at-risk youth.
Another priority in the lead-up to the YOG has been ensuring that the media understands and communicates Olympic values effectively. In October, the National Association of the Sports Press (ANPS) held a training session for journalists to familiarise them with Olympic terminology and principles, ensuring that journalists “speak the same language” before and during Dakar 2026. Seydina Diagne, Secretary General of the CNOSS, noted that helping reporters understand these values will be key to the Games’ success.
The Olympic Values Education Programme offers free and accessible resources created by the IOC and implemented by the Olympic Museum. By promoting the lifelong benefits of sport, OVEP highlights how the philosophy of Olympism can positively impact personal health, well-being, and social relationships.
Operating in over 60 countries, including key partnerships in India, China, and Senegal, the programme enriches local curriculums with Olympic-themed activities, teaching tools, and inspirational content. OVEP works closely with schools, governments, National Olympic Committees, and educators through workshops and training sessions to bring these values to young people worldwide.
